Russia pledges $10 million to help mitigate climate impact in Europe and CIS region and beyond

Apr 22, 2016

Photo: UNDP FYR Macedonia

Moscow– The Government of Russia will be making a $10 million contribution towards UNDP programmes which support efforts to mitigate and prevent the negative effects of climate change in developing countries.

The announcement was made just a few days ahead of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement and during the first annual Consultation Meeting on the partnership implementation between UNDP and the Russian Federation in Moscow this week.

Co-chaired by Cihan Sultanoğlu, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Gennady Gatilov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the meeting involved senior officials of Russian ministries, and representatives from business associations.

The announcement follows the establishment of the Russia-UNDP Trust Fund in June 2015, which launched with initial funding of $25 million, in support of UNDP projects in CIS countries and beyond.

In total, since 2010, Russia has allocated over $40 million towards UNDP projects in Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia and Tajikistan, with a portion allocated to UNDP’s work in the context of humanitarian appeals in countries such as Syria, the Philippines, Cuba and Vanuatu.

The partnership focuses on the implementation of Agenda 2030, cooperation with programme countries, leveraging Russian knowledge and expertise internationally and promoting a skilled cadre of Russia’s professionals into the growing international development community.

“Russia values the cooperation with UNDP as an important contribution for the successful implementation of the state’s policy in international development assistance,” said Mr. Gatilov in his opening remarks at the consultations. “Our strategic cooperation focuses on support in building expertise in neighboring countries to accelerate momentum towards the SDGs”.

UNDP expressed its appreciation for the newly announced funding, designed to help “mitigate the negative effects of climate change”, according to a Russian Government Decree of April, 2016.

Speaking of the partnership, Ms. Sultanoglu said: “Russia is making a unique contribution towards supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in countries in Europe, the CIS and beyond. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the area of climate change, which happens to be among the most urgent and central development challenges of our time”.

This strategic contribution will strengthen Russia’s leadership and commitment in the follow-up to the UN Framework for Climate Change Conference of Parties, held in Paris in December 2015.

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UNDP works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results. In 2016, UNDP is continuing its work to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, as they help shape global sustainable development for the next 15 years.